Imore Asks

When you buy an app or game in the App Store, book in the iBookstore, or music, movies or TV shows in iTunes, you're asked for your iTunes password before the transaction goes through and the download begins. That's important when there's money involved. As the great Smurf berry scandal of 2011 taught us, you can never be too careful when it comes to preventing unintentional or unauthorized purchases -- that's why Apple now requires a password for every in-app purchase. But what about when there's no money on the line? What about when you're not buying something but just downloading a free app or game, or free song or feature? Should iTunes still ask for your password? What about when you're simply updating an app or game? Should iTunes ask then?

Some people, really security conscious people, would probably prefer iTunes ask for a password any time it does anything, always. Better safe than sorry. Who knows who could be using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad after all, from a friend to a colleague to a spouse to a child to a friend's colleague's spouse's child. You really want to risk $100 in Hello Kitty apps suddenly showing upon your Home screen?

Other people, really convenience-oriented people, would probably like iTunes to ask for a password as little as possible. Maybe never. If you're the only one who ever uses your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, and it never leaves a place you control, then why should you be bothered by having to enter in a password every time an app has a minor bug fix update?

Personally, I'd like a choice (big surprise, right?) Give me a Settings option for "always ask", or "only ask for paid transactions". I don't think "never ask" is safe, so I'm fine with that not being there. What about you? How often do you think iTunes should ask for your password?

There are several popular social networks on the web and they all have iPhone apps, and many have iPad apps (or the iPhone app can be used in 2x mode on the iPad). Which ones do you use, and if you have both and iPhone or iPod touch and an iPad, do you use them all the same on both? Are there any you prefer using on on iPhone as opposed to iPad, or vice versa? Any you use on one you don't use at all on the other?

We first noticed our new iPads were getting a little warm on the lower left side right after we got them, but only because previous iPads had always stayed so cool. For years our MacBooks have burned under Flash and our iPhones have become tiny space heaters when tethering or using turn-by-turn GPS, so no big deal. You can't pack that big a screen, that high a capacity battery, that screaming a graphics chip, and that fast an LTE radio into a case almost the same size and not have all that power go somewhere, right?

Did it blow you away and make you think you were finally holding the future in your hands? Was it better than you expected your eyes not believing the quality of the Retina display or LTE speeds? Was it just what you expected, no more, no less? Did it disappoint you in some way? Or was it just simply the worst thing Apple ever spat from their cauldron?

iOS 5.1 has been out for several days now, so it's time to ask -- how's it working for you? Did it fix any bugs or battery life issues you were having with iOS 5 on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad? Did it make performance better on your older original iPad or iPhone 3GS? Did any of the new features like even faster camera access and Photo Stream photo deletion make you life easier?

Okay iMore nations, we've given you our complete iPad 3 event preview and gone through pretty much much every hardware and software rumor we could think of -- so now it's your turn! Next Wednesday, March 7, when the Apple execs take the keynote stage, what are you expecting them to show off for the iPad 3?

Apple announced the App Store way back in spring of 2008 as part of the iPhone SDK event, and now 4 years later it's the biggest thing to ever hit mobile applications, but it still has a lot of issues. If you could wave a magic wand and have Apple add one thing to the App Store, what would it be?

There's no word on Siri, Apple's voice controlled assistant, for Mac yet, but then again there's no word on Siri for iPad 3 yet either.

Apple is taking their time and doing what they do best -- seeding interest and creating buzz. They're excellent at it, just look at all the coverage they're getting this morning without even holding one of their famous keynotes!

And we want to know how its working.

If you're a Mac user, is this a no-brainer, instant-update for you when it's available, or would you rather Apple kept OS X and iOS separate and distinct?

If you're a Windows user, does anything you've seen today tempt you to make the switch to Mac, or does the idea of iOS-style stuff on your desktop make you even less likely to make the change?

If you're undecided, if you're waiting to see more, what precisely would Apple have to do to win you over to Mountain Lion?

You know the drill, vote in the poll above and give us your thoughts in the comments below!